Washing machine



Dec. 6, 1932. w. N. GALLAGHER WASHING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1931Patented Dec. 6, 1932 l UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE W. NEAL GALLAGHER, FNEWTON, IOWA WASHING MACHINE Application led April 4, 1931. Serial No.527,653.

This invention relates to washing ina,- ployed, as well as othermanufacturers, have chines, and more particularly to an electrical allllSed SOnlc SOIt Of gas jet mechanism for heatlng devlce rg0-operativelyConnected heating lille Witter lll the tub lIl an attempt ythereto forthe purpose of maintaining the to maintain the temperature of the Waterin washing water at a comparatively high teinthe tub sufficiently highto assist at least in 55 peinture, the washing operation. As a matter offact,

One of the objects of the invention lies in it must be admitted thatsuch gas fiames are the provision of an electrical water heater nOt ableactually t0 heat the large quantity operatively connected with thewashing ma- 0f Water in the tub, and the mOSt they can chine tub in suchmanner as to circulate the d0 S t0 Inntilin the temperature for but a 60water in the tub and heater means in a mantGlnpOlI-y pelOdner tomaintain same at a comparatively high In Order t0 pIOVdc a means foractually temperature, maintaining the water Within the Washing Anotherobjeet lieg in the provision of an machine tub at a temperaturesatisfactory 5 @lenti-leal Water heater Comprising a Chamfor the Washingoperation, and for a consid- 65 ber having connections with a washingma- @fable peIOd, applicant has provided the Chine tub, which permitcirculation Of the Wafollowing electrically operated water circuterwithin the tub, as Well as the heater, in a f latng and heating device.

manner to maintain same at a relatively high In thc drawing, aConventional Washing temperature. machine tub is disclosed at l0 havinga Well 70 Other objects will appear in the follovw known character ofagitator mechanism 11 ing specification, taken in connection withdisposed adjacent the bottom thereof and the annexed drawing, inWhichadapted to be reciprocated in a manner to Fig. 1 is an elevationalview, partially accomplish Washing of the material within in section,showing the manner of mounting the tub. No necessity is seen fordescribing 75 my electrical Water heater in connection With th actualdIVc mechanism OI the agitatOr, a conventional washing machine tub; andin view of its extreme conventionality.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partially in section, Specifically, with respectto the electrical taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1. water heatingmechanism, a metal container Before referring specifically to the drawisshown at 12, preferably made of cast alum- 80 ing, it might be well tosum up the conveninum, although obviously it might also be tionalconstructions which have appeared made bya stamping operation. in thetrade relative not only to the actual Means for connecting thiscontainer to the heating of water Within a Washing machine tub is by thefOllOWing mechanism: An uptub, but also those calculated to maintain perpipe connection between the tub and the 85 the temperature of the Waterat a comparawater chamber 12 is found at 13, which pipe tively highpoint. is threaded at the ends 14 and 15, as shown In considering suchstructures, it is found in Fig. 1 of the drawing, said ends engagingthat gas burners have been disposed with the container 12 and the tub 10respectively. relation to a washing machine tub in such Additional meansfor securing the pipe 13 manner that the flame thereof plays directtothe tub is provided in threaded exterior ly upon the tub. Such deviceshave certain and interior clamping mechanism 16 and 17 disadvantages,iirst, great loss of efficiency respectively. kA lower pipe 18 engagesthe due to the impossibility of applying the gas electrically operatedwater heater at its under flame to more than a small portion of theside, the outer end 19 of said pipe passing 95 tub. This results in theineiiicient heating through the side of the tub 10 at a point subof thewater and in many instances, the tub stantially adjacent the bottomthereof. The structure soon deteriorates because of the pipe 18 has thecircumferentially projecting proximity of the burner. portion 20, whichabuts the exterior side of The company by which applicant is emthe tub10, while an inner clamping portion 5 peculiarly fashioned in that sameforms a protective covering 22 for the tub member and the heatingchamber. lt is apparent that this protective member is provided with aplu- 'rality of apertures 23, which permit circulation of the water fromthe tub to the heater while actually preventing any possible exit of theclothes from the tub.

Surrounding the container 12 in ka circu lar manner is an electricalheating or resistance element 24, positioned with respect to the member12in a manner to surround COlnpletely said element and at the same timelying im mediately adjacently thereto, this obviously for the purpose offurnishing the greatest possibleamount of heating surface. Thisresistance element 24 is connected by means of conventional electricalconnections by means of a switch boi; 25 of conventional construeH tion,containing a manually operated switch member for controlling the iiow ofcurrent to the heating element 241. Immediately sur-v rounding theheating element 24 is an insulated area 25 which is adapted to receiveany desired insulation material. Finally surrounding the insulation areathere is a metal housing 2o entirely surrounding the container 12. Theme .aber 26 valso includes upper and lower portions 27 2S iectiif'elywhich operate to entirely house the container, the electrical heatingelem-ent and the surround ing insulating portion. Y

Means for securing the outer housing tothe container 12 is providedbythe dual clamp portions 29 and 30. Obviously, this outer housin mav bevsun sorted about the con,-

tainer in. any manner desired, inasmuch as same merel yacts as a suoortinc medium for` the electrical element and insulation portion. Withrespect to the operation of my water ftemperature maintaining unit,operatively connected to. a washing machine, it is found that undernormal conditions the operator places a considerable quantity of hotwater in the tub of the washer, thereafter placing the y Ofarments to bewashed within the tub and nally starting the washer, with the resultthat the wat-er and clothes are intermingled for the washing operation.

The operator, upon placement ofthe hot :lvvater in the tub, and uponcommencement of the` washing operation, may then operate the switchcontrolling the :dow of current to the electrical heating member 24,with the result that same will substantially immediately become heatedand operate to heat the water which has naturally passed 'through `thepipes 1B and18 to the heater.

Obviousli/due to the, placement of the electrical heater inv a positionadjacent to'the tub, said container is substantially filled with waterfrom the tub. Due to the fact that the water Within the electricalheater will have is tempera-ture raised substantially, owing to theoperation of the electrical heating element, a circulation will becreated between the washing machine tub and the heater, and the heatedwater Will flow from the heater into the washing machine through thepipe 13, in the direction indicated by the arrows, while the incomingand cooler water will iioW fromthe bottom of thelwasher through the pipe18 to the heater inl the direction shown by the arrows. This circulationof the Water is continuous and therefore operates to assist inmaintaining the water in the washing machine tub at a suficiently hightemperature to insure satisfactory washing of the clothes. Obviously, toaccomplish such purpose, it is necessary to have thenwater at acomparatively high temperature, and inasmuch as reciprocation of theagitator and the continuous movement of the water normally operates tolower this temperature at a rapid rate, the disposition i of applicantselectrical Water heater in an operative position adjacent the tub and ina manner to continuously heat the Water and circulate same, is adaptedto insure the maintcnance of the Water at a relatively high temperature.

Vhat I claim is:

Y 1. In combination, a washing machine tub, a Water container disposedadjacent said tub, upper and lower pipe connections between the tub andcontainer, said pipe members operating as a supporting. means for thecontainer, an electrical heating element surrounding said container,insulation means for said electrical heating element and means forhousing and supporting the insulating and heating element in such mannerthat th` water in said container will be heated tosuchl a degree as tocreate a continuous circulation@ of water from the tub tothe container,there` by ope-rating tomaintain said water at a temperature suitable forthe washing operation.

2. In combination, a washing machine tub,

a water heating container disposed adjacent thereto, pipe connectionsbetween the Water heater and tub, an electrical heating elementsurrounding said container, means. for housing and insulating saidelectrical heating. element in'l a position immediately adjacent thecontainer, with theresult that the water will circulate continuouslybetween the tub` and heater, at the same time being maintained at atemperature satisfactory for the Washing operation, and means forpermitting a flow of waterA from the tub` to the container butpreventing passage of the clothes from the. tub. y

In testimony whereof I `have hereunto affixed my signature.-

w. NEAL GALLAGHER,"

